Summit Kicks Off Today
On August 15, 2025, President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, marking their first in-person summit since 2018’s Helsinki meeting.
The summit was no longer a one-on-one: top officials including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff joined Trump, while Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accompanied Putin.
Main Focus & Atmosphere
The central objective is to negotiate a ceasefire in the more-than-three-year Russia–Ukraine war, potentially including frozen front lines and eased sanctions, in exchange for security or arms-control concessions.
The summit began with a warm handshake on a red carpet and was marked by a symbolic ride by both leaders in Trump's armored limousine (“The Beast”), and overhead military flyovers.
Global Reaction & Controversies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, not invited to the talks, criticized the summit and reaffirmed Ukraine’s refusal to cede territory, while European leaders expressed concern over potential land-for-peace concessions.
